20 Forces Shaping Leadership in 2026

Introducing The Next 100 Leadership Index

Over the past five years, organizations have navigated overlapping waves of disruption—technological acceleration, labor-market volatility, rising employee expectations and pressure for stronger governance and social responsibility. The leaders who succeed in 2026 will be those who adapt to these changes with discipline and a willingness to rethink long-standing assumptions.

Across industries, research points to similar conclusions: The skills and mindsets that once defined effective leadership are no longer enough on their own. Recent research underscores how quickly leadership expectations are shifting. Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends report notes organizations are moving away from traditional, hierarchical leadership models toward approaches that emphasize adaptability, collaboration and human-centered decision-making.

McKinsey echoes this shift; in its analysis of workforce resilience, the firm suggests organizations build stronger performance when leaders focus on flexibility, coaching and helping teams find meaning during uncertain periods.

Together, these findings point to a leadership model that is less about rigid planning and more about guiding people through complexity.

These shifts reveal a broader story about where leadership is heading.

The following 20 forces - technological, cultural and behavioral - represent the most significant pressures shaping leadership in 2026. They form the basis of The Next 100 Leadership Index, a lens for understanding leadership and the expectations emerging around it.

1. Leading Through Transformation

Leaders are being asked to make sense of complicated shifts, explain what matters and steady their teams without pretending to have every answer. The work is less about announcing change and more about guiding people through it.

2. The Future of Work

Work is being reshaped on several fronts at once: new skill demands, flexible structures, and AI working alongside people. Leaders are trying to sort out what should stay adaptable and what needs firmer expectations so teams can do their best work. It’s a constant balancing act between giving people room and keeping the organization aligned.

3. Change Agility and Resilience

Most people aren’t worn out by change itself. What drains them is not knowing the “why” behind decisions or hearing mixed messages as plans evolve. When leaders bring clarity to the process( even if the news isn’t perfect) they create teams that can adjust more easily and with less stress.

4. Leadership in the Age of AI

AI is showing up in more decisions and workflows, but people still look to leaders for judgment and integrity. The real work now is understanding where technology helps and where human insight, ethics and trust need to take the lead.

5. High-Performing Teams

Performance is becoming a shared discipline rather than a top-down mandate. Psychological safety, co-created norms and clear expectations drive outcomes more effectively than oversight alone.

6. Emotional Intelligence

EQ remains a core differentiator. Leaders who can navigate conflict, empathize with diverse teams and influence without authority strengthen both retention and culture.

7. Culture and Belonging

Belonging has emerged as a measurable business factor. Research shows that employees who feel a strong connection to their organization are more likely to stay and contribute at higher levels.

8. Strategic Communication and Influence

Clarity is now a competitive advantage. Leaders must communicate with intent, eliminate noise and articulate purpose in ways that anchor teams amid shifting priorities.

9. Innovation and Creative Problem-Solving

Innovation is moving out of specialized departments and into everyday roles. Leaders must cultivate an environment where experimentation is normal and insights from frontline employees are valued.

10. Customer-Centric Leadership

Customer expectations continue to reshape industries. Leaders who listen, measure and respond to customer insight drive stronger loyalty and identify opportunities earlier.

11. Talent Development and Next-Gen Leadership

Leadership pipelines require new attention. As younger employees enter the workforce with high education and limited mentorship, leaders must create access to coaching, skill development and visibility.

12. Trust and Ethics

Trust continues to be one of the strongest drivers of organizational reputation. Transparency, fairness and consistency matter as much as business outcomes.

13. Productivity and High-Performance Habits

The modern productivity challenge is not workload but attention fragmentation. Leaders who simplify priorities and support focused work will see stronger results.

14. Women in Leadership

Progress is real, but the pace isn’t even. Many women still hit slower-moving promotion points mid-career, often at moments when advancement matters most. Leaders who recognize these patterns can be more deliberate about opening doors and clearing barriers.

15. Diversity and Intercultural Competence

Workplaces stretch across cultures, generations and lived experiences. Leaders who can read those differences (and work comfortably within them) are better equipped to build strong teams and make better decisions. It’s part of the job now, not an extra skill.

16. Storytelling for Leaders

People respond to meaning. When leaders use narrative storytelling to explain where the team is headed and why it matters, they help people see themselves in the work.

17. Crisis Leadership

Volatility demands leaders who can remain grounded, interpret risk and make measured decisions even when information is incomplete.

18. Sales Leadership and Relationship Acceleration

Trust-based, consultative selling continues to outperform traditional persuasion models. Leaders must model and reinforce these behaviors across teams.

19. Purpose-Driven Business and Social Impact

Stakeholder expectations continue to grow. Employees and communities pay close attention to how organizations contribute to long-term well-being and economic stability.

20. Mental Fitness and Burnout Prevention

Burnout has become a system-level issue. Leaders who model healthy boundaries and support realistic, sustainable performance expectations create stronger long-term results.

These 20 forces reflect the evolving expectations placed on modern leaders. They highlight the shift toward more adaptive, ethical and human-centered leadership models - approaches that prioritize consistency and connection.

The Next 100 uses this index as a lens to analyze emerging leadership trends, examine what effective leaders are doing differently and identify where organizations can strengthen their talent strategies.

Leadership is changing. The leaders who thrive will be those willing to rethink, relearn and respond with intention. The future favors those who are ready to evolve.